Union Street Public House Brunch

A note from the Bitches: It’s with great pleasure that we announce the newest addition to the Bitch team: Deidre, our Baby Bitch. (Former Baby Bitch Amanda Jean is now manning our social channels as our official Social Bitch.) Deidre is a North Carolina gal residing in Old Town Alexandria. We think she’s sassy and fun, and we’re sure you’ll agree. Here’s her first brunch review!

My best friend Whitney and I are practically attached at the hip. She and I share a weird, ESP-like connection that twins are so often said to have. After passing the North Carolina Bar Exam and drinking copious amounts of champagne the moment she received the news, I figured it was best to slow the tempo with a relaxing girls’ day in Old Town Alexandria the following Sunday morning.

Upon arrival, we delighted in the sights, sounds, and delicious smells this neighborhood has to offer. We love the adorable boutiques and historic homes lining the Alexandria waterfront. But after a while, the sound of our growling stomachs was becoming deafening and we began to depend on our sense of smell to lead us in the right direction.

As we sauntered past one historic building after another, imagining how amazing our lives would be to actually call one our own, a couple emerged from a building ahead leaving an inexplicably delicious aroma in their wake. Whitney and I looked at one another with knowing glances and in unison mouthed, “done.”

Do you see that ESP connection I was talking about?

At Union Street Public House we were greeted by an extremely warm hostess who seated us right away. Once a colonial warehouse, the current dwelling has certainly maintained several elements to keep with the original theme of the space. It’s an aesthetic menagerie of wooden beams, exposed brick (swoon), rustic lighting fixtures, and assorted art.

We were led up a dark, wooden staircase to the upstairs dining area where only a few guests were steadily devouring their plates as sunlight flooded the room from the skylight windows above.

After being seated, we immediately placed our requisite order for mimosas. As if reliving a bad dream all over again, thoughts of drinking more champagne started to seem like the worst idea we had ever come up with. We oddly appreciated the fact that this was indeed not a bottomless brunch (we need limits!) and that we would indeed have to think twice before forking over another $5 every time we wanted a mimosa or Bloody Mary.

I scoured the menu to pick my favorite item among the wide array of salads, Benedicts, waffles, sandwiches, and pancakes Union Street Public House had to offer. While I was practically breaking a sweat contemplating all of my choices, Whitney glanced once at the menu, saw the word “Benedict,” and moved her concentration to a more pressing issue on her cell phone.

While I am more of an Eggs Benedict girl myself, I chose a different path this time around. I instead opted to step out of my comfort zone and go for the crab and tomato omelet with home fries.

Just as the lighting of the torch signifies the beginning of the Olympic ceremonies, Whitney’s squeal of excitement over the sight of her Eggs Benedict acts as the official beginning of what was certain to be a delicious brunch.

The crab and tomato omelet was a sight to behold. The egg was extremely thick and fluffy and the crabmeat, goat cheese, and thin tomato slices encompassed within were only slightly visible but very tantalizing.

After I took my first bite, I was disappointed to find that the delicious flavors that I had anticipated were somehow lost in the egg. The home fries were a welcome addition to my plate as they were extremely well-seasoned, tender, and flavorful.

Whitney raved about her Eggs Benny from the moment she cut into it, and with good reason! The Hollandaise oozed over the thick slices of Canadian bacon and English muffins. I envied her!

Being the best friend that she is, she offered up a tiny sliver of the heaven that was on her plate. Almost as if she was taunting me with it, I snatched it from her fork with lightning-fast speed. The Eggs Benedict tasted just as warm, gooey, and hearty as my brunch lovin’ heart had hoped!

We finished our dishes, sipped the last of our mimosas, and stepped out into the streets of Old Town Alexandria once again with full stomachs and big smiles.

While I was a little disappointed in my omelet, one little dish won’t spoil the whole brunch and I certainly look forward to dining at Union Street Public House again!

The Bitches Say: B+. Some menu items left a little to be desired in terms of taste, but overall Union Street Public House offers a wonderful brunch experience.